“Very few people know what it truly means to every day have the courage to unflinchingly march forward in the face of danger,” the mayor said. “Yet Officer Cottle did so with not only a steadfast commitment to the safety of this city, but with a strong sense of pride and duty for his country.”

Los Angeles Police Protective League, the city’s officers’ union, said Cottle was the first Los Angeles police officer to be killed serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“As a SWAT officer, R.J. was a tactical genius. His military service gave him unique skills that he generously shared with fellow officers,” league president Paul M. Weber said in a statement. “His ultimate sacrifice is an immeasurable loss for the LAPD and his friends and family.”